Monday 4 May 2015

A to Z Challenge - the reflections

April was the A to Z Blogging Challenge, and I'm very proud to say I made it to the end!

For those who haven't read my blog, for the challenge I decided to stitch the Doctor Who Alphabet of Quotes, sharing each letter each day as I stitched it.  I also shared 26 of my Harry Potter cross stitch figurines.  The finished piece/s can be found here.

For me, the blogging challenge was a real challenge: I'm not a regular blogger - I'm proud of myself if I can post once a week, let alone more regularly than that.  Finding the time to blog (as well as working out what to say) always seems to take me so much longer than I thought it would.  I don't know whether it's because I want the blog to be 'perfect' (right formatting, right links, right photos) or if it's because I don't think anyone is interested in what I have to say, or if it's something else entirely.  Probably a combination of all three.  So posting everyday by a specific time (that's my OCD coming through) was a push, and I'm pleased to say that despite going overseas for a week in the middle of the challenge, I managed it on all but maybe one occasion.  Go me!

It was exhausting though, and I've taken the last few days off blogging and just sat and stared at the wall instead of at the computer screen.  My blogging regularity will probably drop again for awhile, but I'm hoping to be a little more regular with my posts in the future - at least once a week anyway!

This challenge taught me a lot: it taught me that my blog doesn't have to look perfect before it is published (you'd have thought I learnt that back here, but apparently it didn't stick); it taught me that I actually have plenty to say (my family would say I should have learnt that years and years ago); it taught me that there are lots of people out there who share similar ideas and thoughts, and who do want to read what I have to say; and it taught me that it doesn't matter if only a handful of people read my blog - I'm writing this not just for them, but for me too.

Through the challenge I met some amazing bloggers and fellow stitchers.  I met people who were stitching my designs, and people who were stitching some awesome other designs.  I met people who are just as big a geek as I am, and who proudly let their geek flag fly.  I met people whose blogs I wouldn't have otherwise sought out - photographers, artists, travellers, writers, readers.

I will put my hand up and say that I didn't read anywhere near as many blogs as I planned.  There were many days when I was struggling to just get my own blog posted, let alone read anyone else's.  One of the things I am looking forward to over the next few moths is going back through the list on the A To Z blog and finding new blogs to read.

Will I do the challenge again? Absolutely!  I've already started thinking about topics for next time - so much so that maybe I'll do another A to Z blog series before the end of the year, although probably not 26 in 30 days!

Happy Stitching, and Happy Blogging!

25 comments:

  1. Wow, that is a lot of stitching and blogging to do in a month. I need to come back and check out your blog as I didn't visit during the challenge except at the theme reveal. Your work is really amazing.

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    1. Thanks Shell. I had a lot of fun doing it :)

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  2. I enjoyed following your challenge each day Roslyn. Great new chart.

    Linda

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    1. Thanks Linda - back at you :)
      (P.S. I limited the 3/4 stitches for this one!)

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  3. As you know, I really loved your Challenge theme and found it easy to comment on your posts - can't wait for you to reveal what 2016 will have in store for us all :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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  4. I really enjoyed your theme...so much so that I gave you a mention in my Reflections post :)
    Katie @TheCyborgMom

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  5. I'm so impressed with the work you put into your theme. I did a little staring at anything except the computer the last few days also.

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  6. Hello there.
    You should be very proud of yourself...well done for "Stitching the challenge"! I actually read one of your posts during my AtoZ journey. This was my second year and I learnt from last year that planning ahead was the only way to keep sane during April. I used my own photos this year and it took me forever not only to find things to snap, but to fix and crop then add them all to my blog. I'm worn out and am supposed to be on hiatus, but I keep checking for new commenters and rolling my eyes at how long the reflections list is getting, while thinking on no...here we go again! (lol)

    Entrepreneurial Goddess

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    1. Hahahaha - yeah, I'm having the same thought about that reflections list! I'd like to get through them all, or at least to visit a few more, but have had a bit of a blogging-break this week. I think planning ahead is definitely the key and will be my goal for next year! Thanks for visiting again :)

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  7. I am a writer and attacked the large participate list by starting with those who had (WR) so I didn't visit. I'm here by way of your reflections. You are amazing with your theme and hard work. Congrats on this good looking blog and addition to the blogging world.

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    1. Thanks Stepheny! Glad you found me in the end :) I tried attacking the (CR) ones, but I kept losing my place in the list - hoping to read more of them now the challenge has ended.

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  8. I loved your theme! :) I visited a couple of times (busy co-host schedule) but I want to come back and look at more stitching things because they are amazing! I love string and I love nerdy things, this is a site for me :) I hope you'll do the challenge again next year! Good to hear you had fun! :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary
    MopDog

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    1. Thanks! I will definitely be doing it again next year - theme options are already running through my head!

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  9. Congrats on completing the A to Z Challenge! Looking forward to next year!

    Mary @ Jingle Jangle Jungle

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  10. Yeah I found that I didn't have to make it perfect a the time. I started posting at the same time and that lasted a week and then they weren't all perfect from there And they didn't have to be which was a relief.

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  11. Yeah I found that I didn't have to make it perfect a the time. I started posting at the same time and that lasted a week and then they weren't all perfect from there And they didn't have to be which was a relief.

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  12. OMG, I am so thrilled to have stumbled upon your blog. Once upon a time I was an avid cross stitcher. Life got busy and my eyes got bad, so I haven't put needle to canvas in years. Your geek-centric blog has made me want to buy a pair of glasses and try again! I'm a big Star Wars and harry Potter fan and find your patterns absolutely adorable.

    Thanks for taking the A to Z challenge. I can't believe I haven't seen you before now.

    Kelley’s Dog Blog

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    1. Hurray! Glad you found me and glad to have inspired you! :D When you get those glasses be sure to check out my Etsy shop ;) lots of geeky cross stitch patterns to tempt you even more!

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  13. Wow, that's not a challenge, that's a marathon. Congratulations on finishing. I love your theme btw :)
    Popping by on the A to Z Road Trip
    Debbie
    www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com

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  14. Wow you are really talented and creative to do all that stitching and complete the challenge. I'm not surprised you've did nothing immediately after the challenge. Great theme too, I enjoy watching Dr Who. Passing through on the A-Z Road Trip :)

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